Face Reality
by Bathysphere
Summary: SHITTY! Post ValleyofEnd. Discontn'd. He must come to terms & find purpose in life, or end it. W/o Sasuke, what does he have to live for? And how will he cope, knowing he failed in the most important task of his life: to rescue the one he cared about?
1. Dark, downward spirals

Well...we'll see how it goes, or if anyone cares. Any suggestions? Your ideas may (probably) be used in the story. Yes..Naruto is a bit OOC, but remember, he lost Sasuke and he's drunk. They were really close, not in the way you usually think though. Those two years in the canon manga and anime must have been spent not just training, but healing...

* * *

He ran wildy, panting, knocking over trashcans and earning scowls from residents of the sorrounding apartments. No one could even stand him..even for a few hours at a bar or pub...A few cats screeched as he tripped and fell over in exhaustion into the largest puddle, behind a closing restaurant. The was a squeal as a door opened and a man stepped out holding a bag of garbage. He stood beneath a the light of a small bulb by the door. The neon sign, which previously announced that the store was open, flickered and changed to closed, as the woman inside pulled down the blinds closed. 

The man stared at him for a moment, half in anger, half in suprise. His large shadow smothered Naruto, who was now struggling to stand, his heavy doused clothes pulling him down, with more rain pouring on him mercilessly.

"What the hell are you doing here, you _filthy_ **demon** spawn!?" he spat at him, "Get out of here!" Glancing up for a moment, Naruto's face was light up in anger and a flash of lightning his tears mingling with the rain seamlessly. The man stared in shock, the look was one of pure hate, sorrow and hopelessness. The boy had no will to live. Naruto struggled to his feet, dropping his coat and using the brick wall for support.

"Well?! Get the_ hell_ away, usuratonkachi!" Naruto got to his feet, the sake was making it harder to think clearly, his body was heavy. He swayed, and took off running once more.

He reached his apartment, which suprised him. He hadn't been heading in any particular direction. He wiped the dirt and tears and rain from his face with the side of his hand, and stepped inside, ignoring the mat to wipe his shoes, which were covered in muck. Leaving his door open, the elements making it bang against the wall, and the water beginning to spray onto the floor, he tooks off his orange clothes, they squelched as he dropped them to the floor and stood. Looking outside the window, at the large liths of past hokages...he took another bottle of sake and chugged it. Maybe..maybe he wouldn't remember anything in the morning...or better yet maybe he would die of alcohol poisoning...Either way it helped dull the pain. But he knew..it would all come back..it would all overwhelm him like a tsunami once it wore off..unless he got more everytime..the idea of being constantly drunk appealed to him..

_'Is that technically an alcoholic_?' He couldn't remember. The was a flash of lightning, almost simultaneously followed by the crack of thunder, booming and resounding in his apartment, vibrating the already wind-shooken building. He opened the window. The curtains flutteredin the wind and the rain splattered his face. Naruto dropped the empty bottle, and watched it fall and spiral down, its fate already mapped out. He knew it would shatter. It reminded him of his life. He never really even had a reason to live. He turned away knowing the bottle's destiny was already set in stone. Perhaps Neji had been right all along. What a baka, he had been..

Why had he kept on going all these years? For what? So that he could fail over and over again? To suffer, be made fun of, beaten, and hated by all? He didn't have an answer. Maybe he had hoped he would find one...

A purpose. It didn't matter to him now. He closed the window, out of habit. The black undershirt he had on, dripped as he walked to the stairs leading to the roof. The moist socks left a wet footsteps to accompany the trail left by his shirt and boxers. Walking up the stairs, he grabbed and opened the door. The wind howled and attempted to push him back,  
but nothing could stop him now. Not even hurricane force winds...the roof was covered in shallow lakelets, all of which were nearly black..

'_Just like the darkness inside of me..like pools of shadow beneath my skin.._' He stepped over a few before realizing, what was the point? He walked through them, the cold water splashing him. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. His socks were now soaked. He climbed up the water tower on his roof and stared up, now standing at its peak. The moon was full, but hidden beneath the roiling clouds. Lightning arced and cracked within them, like wispy smoke, they slowly changed shape, but appeared solid in a way. Malevolent. Just like the evil that was housed inside him.

He edged closer to the end of the tank, and leaned over looking at the street a couple stories below...After all that alcohol..maybe the demon fox wouldn't be able to heal him as quickly. It was a metabolic depressant or something of the sort. Sakura had said something about it...Naruto turned his back on the asphalt below and leaned backward slowly. The back of his head was softest..he had learned that much in battle. Perhaps this might work after all...

_'What are you doing_' the Kyuubi spoke to him at last. It didn't want to die with him.

'_Something I should've done years ago..._' He leaned backward once more. Finally an end.  
To this stupid life of mine..this damned melodrama...Nothing to worry about any longer.  
No more charades...no more trying to impress or be noticed...He didn't care anymore.  
No more pretending..that he didn't care about the villagers taunts..his emotions toward Sasuke..that he loved Sakura..

At last..the mask dropped away, and so did his body, as he leaned backward past the point of return..almost in slow motion.  
...He would end it. Just like the bottle of sake.

I'm sorry I couldn't save you Sasuke. Save you from the dark.  
I'm sorry I failed, again...for the last time.  
I'm sorry, Sakura..I couldn't get him back for you..

I just wished I could tell you.  
That I could tell you how much I loved you.  
But it's much too late..

_He pushed back with his feet and fell backwards throught the air._

* * *

Hope you like cliffhangers lol. Is it ok? I'd really like comments, even flames. Something please? lol Unfinished. I have to go more into depth with his thought processes, but he was drunk wasn't he? I'll do more, and he'll seem less OOC. Btw, what pairings are wanted? I'll do multiple endings and such, etc. So put your opinion in now! please..? lol ;; if no one comments or wants to read this, I guess I'll just delete it.. 


	2. Lost in Despair

Beeping..

He slowly came back to conciousness.  
'Where...where am I?'

'Take a wild guess', the stupid fox was already jabbering.  
He suppressed him as usual.

Slowly it dawned on him..  
and the memories of the previous night trickled back into his head, until, suddenly, the dam broke and all of night's events flooded into his mind at once.

* * *

Pain. 

Pain like he had never felt before, his head exploding in agony..but it was nothing compared to the hollow..the ache in his chest, where Sasuke had stabbed him, and ripped appart his heart.

A flash of lightning. Screams, voices, rain falling, and lights.

'Sasuke..'

* * *

His first emotion, anger. Someone had saved him obviously. Then, it bled into panic. How would everyone have reacted? What would they do or say...he had never cared before..Why now?' he thought. He felt ashamed, and still as depressed as ever. If anything more...he opened his eyes, the bright white of the lights blinding him. This is why he hated hospitals. It was so "clean", and not in the hygenic sense. It was all too sterile, silent, bright, echoey...dead. The same antiseptic smell of ammonia. So empty, and always the same look. Did they ever change anything? His eyes quickly accustomed, and he found himself staring at a plain room, devoid of even flowers..like the one's Sakura would bring to Sasuke during his stay... 

And outside, the sky was a bright blue. You couldn't see the sun, but it was there. It was all so depressing. Oh the irony. He hated it. Of all the days...He had, had it. This was where he drew the line. All the damn acting, the cheery smiles, the well-played words to make him look like a baka. This was the last straw. I am not pretending anymore. Why should I? In the words of Shikamaru, it was always "a drag". The whole thing was just to hide the pain, gain attention...

What was the point of going on if no one even noticed him...but now..without.._him_. It was all meaningless.

Then, the door opened, and in walked Konohamaru. The last person he expected.

"Oh, Naruto! Genki desu ka..?"

"I'm fine.." They stayed silent for a moment. It was awkward. It was completely out of character for Naruto to even be depressed, let alone get drunk and attempt to kill himself, and Konohamaru obviously didn't know what to say. He must be in shock.

"..Who..who saved me?"

"Well, I found you if that's what you mean.  
...I was walking in the street, heading towards Iruka-sensei's house...and I saw a silhoutte and a bottle fall out of the window. I kept on walking, and then I saw you on the roof, and then you were falling...I couldn't really believe it at first. It all went in slow motion..every one of your hairs stirring in the wind..I could've counted every single one..and then you hit the pavement." Konohamaru looked away at this point, obviously hurt, maybe traumatized, and even a little disturbed.

"I'd never seen so much blood..No one though you were gonna make it..and most hoped you wouldn't. It was thanks to that lady, they called her "Tsunade". She's accepted the offer of hokage.She's a sannin, and a very good medi-nin, from how she fixed you up." Naruto looked up for a moment, not really caring.

"Thanks...for nothing." Konohamaru stared at him for a moment, lost.

"Were you seriously...?"

"Yeah," Naruto replied stoicly.

'Ugh. That annoying beeping.'  
He took the IV drip out of his arm hastily, and detatched all the other sensory crap off him and slid out of the bed. Even better. He was in one of those hospital gowns. Fuckin' fantastic. He neared to the edge of the window, undoing the bandages on his arm, legs and his head. He opened the window, and jumped. Konohamaru stood, mouth agape.

"See ya."

* * *

The village was as usual, maybe even with more cheer than most days. It was as if nothing had happened. Of coursem it wasn't a suprise. No one really cared about Uzumaki Naruto, demon child of a nonexistant clan. Naruto jumped across the rooftops, earning a few shouts and curses for his near-naked state. He quickly reached his apartment and entered, sliding off the gown in midwalk, and quickly donning a black shirt, and a pair of long pants received as a present, but never even thought to use. It was the standard ninja apperal. Taking his still damp outfit, he tossed it away, not taking a second glance. And as he left his apartment, he undid his headband, and let it fall, the metal klunking against the metal floor. 

He had wondered the town for several hours, earning odd stares from several people, such as Neji, and Shikamaru. All giving pity and sympathy, those sad stares, brought him only anger and more aching. Kiba was even so bold as to ask him the reason for his change of apperal, which had earned a swift punch to the face. Naruto wasn't in the mood to talk, least of all with that mutt. He hadn't seen Sakura, and he was glad. He didn't know if he could put up with her crying, or her bitchiness, and he could not face her. Not after he had broken his promise. The promise he made, not just to her, but to himself.

It was too quiet. He sat in the tree Sasuke usually did, the around around which so much had happened. He was lost in his memories, and tears dripped down his cheeks. Stupid boy...damn him and that woman, whatever her name was. He had nothing in this world. Sasuke was the only thing driving him foward. To prove himself as an equal to him, his friend. The boy he loved. The fox boy looked up, wiping his tears away with his fist, only to be replaced by more, and peared out at the horizon. His mind was in a state of dissaray. All of his thoughts, observations were choppy and filled with sorrow.

'..Why Sasuke..? Was I not good enough?..' Even thinking of _his_ name now, brought pain. Burning him, till he could no longer breath and the hole in his chest screamed. He sobbed, the air coming in quiet gasps. His chest felt tight. He had never even had a chance to tell him..to tell him he loved him. More than ramen, more than life, more than the air; the moon, sun and the stars. He tightened his hands into fist once more, and slammed their already bloodied flesh against the branch he sat on. The tree shook, and a crow flew out, screeching and breaking the silence. Oh, the sweet pain. It dizzied him, and for a moment he forgot about everything, the pain blinding him. He fingered a kunai, imagining it, just for a moment, bite into the soft flesh of his wrist. Naruto raised it for a moment, and then brought violently into his leg, gasping at the pain. He growled angrily and his vision spun, but he loved it. The blood dripped, spashing gently. It was quickly followed by the gentle staccato of footsteps.

* * *

Is it too much? What do you think of the latest chapter. Despair. Ah..its so bittersweet. I've already got an ending in mind, sooooo...we'll just see. Ugh, not enough detail in thought process. I'll need to go back and fix it. But I'm tired and my thoughts are fuzzy. He's too OOC, if I fix the though pattern, I might be able to justify his thoughts and actions and he'll seem realistic, canon Naruto (in this situation that is). Ack...too short. Not much action either, but that will change. Hm..I'm thinking of writing a seperate fic. A one-shot lemon. Any comments on that or the fic? Much appreciated. hugs around 

To KunochiDreamer: xoxo winks To my uber friend, aenon: XOXOX

* * *

Genki desu ka? - How are you? 


	3. Leave it all behind?

Thanks Aenon! You gave me the idea of him meeting all three of 'em. 3

I don't like this one that much, its more of a plotfowardmover.

Sorry if you don't like language, or sakura-bashing.

* * *

The footsteps came closer, becoming louder. He quickly tossed the kunai, it whistled throught the air to the ground and tried to wipe some of the blood from the branch. 

'No need for more people to start again..'  
The person approached:

It was **Sakura**.

She looked disheveled; her hair was a mess, like a bunch of wire, clothes ruffled, and mascara running. She was crying silently, walking along, alone.

"What Sakura, do you need others' pity as well?"

"Sh-sob shut u-up! You don't know how much he meant to me! I _LOVED_ him, and you let him go! I was so stupid to hope you would get him back. You're a sob pa-pathetic excuse for a shinobi! Don't you be talking to me!! And now he's gone!"

"You know, I never even liked you. Another stupid Sasuke-obsessed bitch; you don't know me. Don't tell me I'm worthless, you never do shit on missions. I mean look at yourself, even Ino's better than you. It's a miracle you've survived our missions. You don't know me, you never even took the time to. You just wanted Sasuke's approval! You're just a horny little whore, you don't even know what love is! You think he meant something to **YOU**? I've had no one for years, and Iruka doesn't count. He was an ass when he taught, thinking being hard on me would make me try hard a better person. Do you even know what loneliness _is_? You've **never** been alone. You have parents, teachers, friends, family...And tell me who do I have? No one. I'm an orphan. I live alone. In a crap-ass apartment. On cheap, unhealthy ramen. And I have no real friends, and stupid teachers who don't even like me. You're a star pupil. Everyone loves you. Except Sasuke. Ha, you never got his approval, and never will. Because the truth is, you may remember things from the textbook, but you don't know shit. Books can't teach you everything, and there's a difference between being smart and actually having intelligence." He paused for a moment, laughing angrily at her. "As soon as people see me, they instantly think I'm a loser, a failure. They never take the time. I'm just a monster, but you wouldn't know about that..."

She burst into tears.

"Shut up, fucking cutter!" she screamed and jumped in the air, throwing punches and several shuriken at me, but he quickly jumps off the branch, and swings on it around to get behind her. As he falls to the ground, he places his foot on her rear, and gives a nice kick, sending her straight up into a tree. Naruto finishes with a small backflip over the fence and lands on his feet.

Then, without warning, Kakashi-sensei pops in, grabbing Sakura as she fell. He gives Naruto and hard glare.

"I know you're angry, but that doesn't give you the right to assault your team member."

"What team? All we've got is a loser of a teacher, me and that booknerd. You can't have a two man team. Oh, that's right. One man team. Babies don't count." She then gave something between and sob and a screech and flopped around in Kakashi's arms, still disorientated by her head having impacted the tree.

"That's enough. Tomorrow, Naruto, you'll be doing chakra control excercises till sunrise."

"Sorry, 'sensei', there's no 'tomorrow," He said quickly and then teleported off to the hokage monument. He sat there for a couple hours, staring at the sun setting, the shadows lengthening and all the bright colors morphing into deep blues and purples. In the dark, he felt comforted. He could almost see Sasuke in his mind's eye..

'His pale skin, raven hair, dark eyes, that tiny smile he gave him when they climbed the trees back in the Mist Country, the blush gently spattered over his light cheeks when he had asked him for the tips from _her_..' he thought changing from quiet sorrow to burning anger. Tears started falling again. There weren't even scars from that afternoon...

Sometimes he wished he didn't heal so quickly. Taking a kunai, he set out to try and make a scar.

* * *

Morning came, and he crawled off the bloodied rock face, down back to his aparment quickly, shunning the sun which was once all he looked foward to in those long days before the Uchiha. Having half opened the door, he was suprised to hear his name. The sun had barely started rising. He turned. It was ero-sennin. 

"What do you want?" Naruto wanted this over before it began; he didn't want to talk to anyone now, or ever.

"I heard about the Uchiha kid." His face remained blank; he was being serious for a change.

"And? What does it matter to you?" He replied angrily.

"Interested at a chance of getting him back? And getting away from all this?" He stared at Jiraiya. How did he..? "It's all taken care of already."

"I overheard something between Tsunade and Kakashi. I know how you feel...That's why I left this village years back." They stared at each other intently for a moment, and Naruto turned around back to the door. He stepped foward inside --

* * *

What will he decide? Will he leave with the sennin? You decide. 


	4. Questions Better Unanswered

Naruto turned around back to the door. He stepped foward inside, leaned in and grabbed the door knob, pulling it foward and closing the door. Taking a step back, he turned, pivoting on his heel, to look at his new sensei.

* * *

The ninja lifted his katana into the air quickly, to block the swift strike from the old toadmaster. They clashed, spitting sparks and ringing metallic cries. Jiraiya took out another blade quickly and curled it upwards to strike at his opponent's unprotected midsection, only, in less than a eye blink's moment, to find that it was filled. The ninja had pivoted his blade to block and hold him off.

"Not bad, if I do say so myself," uttered the sennin with a smile, turning his head to look at the other ninja behind him with a katana pressed against his neck ready for a decapitative slice. Both ninja then dissapeared with a small implosion of smoke, and from the shadows emerged the real one. "I should've realized. Bunshin _are_ your specialty after all."

"Getting forgetful in your old age, ero-sensei?" Naruto quipped, pulling off his mask with a grin, his blonde hair shining with the light of the full moon.

"Hey, watch it brat." Naruto laughed at his mutterings, and slapped him on the back, before turning stone-faced once more. "Well, I admit, you are pretty good. You've completed my training.. a grand feat in itself considering how dense you are.." At this Naruto gave him a smack to the back of the head. Being nearly as tall as your teacher had certain advantages.

"So, it's time?"

"You've surpassed me..so yes. It's time. But don't ever make me repeat those words." They both laughed quietly for a moment, before heading to get some ramen. Naruto's addiction had rubbed off on him a little.

"Anyway, I'll need to do some 'research' later.." Naruto smacked him again, bursting out in laughter and muttering "damn hentai" as they walked out off the woods (some of Jiraiya's obsession had rubbed off on Naruto as well) and into the town, alive and covered in neon, to find a ramen stand.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was relaxing. He finally had a day off, and it was a perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky, sunny, and it was late in the afternoon, with a nice breeze going, so it wasn't too warm. Sitting on the northern side of the Konohagure wall, near the gates, he was in the proccess of finishing a great chapter in the latest installation of Ichi Ichi Paradise. The main character had finally confessed his love to the heroine, 'one of them', he thought with a smirk, and we're getting most intimate, when there was some noise. The gate was opening. His interest was piqued, and quickly put his cherished book away, carefully marking the page with a picture of Iruka, in his pack. He slid into the shadows, looking silently with interest. It was his favorite author!

Raising an eyebrow in suprise, he was about to step out and greet him, and perhaps question him on the condition of his works-in-progress, when the famous sennin turned around, and called out. He stopped, being wary. It was best to be cautious. Expect the unexpected. The whitehaired man was followed by another man. The first details he noticed were his midnight-black hair, a simple robe in neutral colors of white, grey and brown, and a small scroll strapped to his hip. He was otherwise unremarkable. No headband, no weapons. The two were talking in earnest.

Kakashi was intrigued, his curiosity getting the best of him. The sennin was known for his love of women, writing, and solitude. He tended to be antisocial. He decided to emerge and make himself known. 

* * *

"But that doesn't make sense. Have they really become that relaxed in a time of piece?"

"Apperantly so, kid. Now listen up close, I'm telling you. Your act has to flawless. You can't slip up once; we're going into a city _full_ of ninjas. One slip, and someone will be bound to find something."

"I know, I know, sheesh... _Jiraiya-sama_."

"Hehe..now that's what I like to hear."

'Lazy old man..' he thought, but sped up and carried the man's things. They continued the banter for a couple more minutes, till the Sennin had the gates open. He stopped, nervous, but the pervert continued foward, into the city.

"Hey! Hurry up." Jiraiya gestured for him to hurry foward. They continued the banter for a few more minutes, talking about really nothing. Then, as they passed through the gate, the man felt something. Someone was watching them, he could see their chakra in his mind's eye.

"So, I don't suppose we'll-" he was cut off by the younger man.

"Sensei, we have company. One male, over on the lip of the wall, in the shadows," he whispered, "Kakashi." They continued walking, the dark male pretending to not have noticed the jounin in the shadows. He could see the man, creeping in the shadows stealthily in his mind's eye, by his chakra signature. He could see his former team leader emerge, looking smug thinking he hadn't been noticed. Jiraiya, put up a coy face and stepped foward greeting his friend and fan.

"Hatake-san! How are you?" The boy stayed behind the master, quiet and looking down as if he couldn't hear a thing, but constantly checking the area with his eight senses.

"Ah, Jiraiya-sama! Well, and yourself?" They continued the conversation for a while before going into witty repartee during which Kakashi attempted to subtly interrogate him about the next Icha Icha Paradise book, known as Tactics.

"You're a sly one, Hatake, but I'm sorry, you'll have to wait till it comes out like everyone else. But be assured. You will receive the first copy, it will, of course, be signed and include the special colored illustrations," he said winking. Kakashi let out a sigh, defeated, and practically visibly deflating. But then, he saw the boy out of the corner of his eye, glancing around nonchalantly. Or so it seemed.

"And who is this?"

"Just my new assistant. He'll be taking notes and editing, so as to make the process of publishing the book easier. It'll make the releases faster."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. I'm Kakashi Hatake, and you?" The man extended his hand to the boy. The boy merely stared at his hands for a few seconds, and then bowed deeply at the man.

"Hajimemashite." He said, "I am Uchiro Ikkaku." The jounin looked at the elder man and raised an eyebrow. "I am from the small village of Soragure, near the Hidden Village of Cloud."

"Nice to meet you. But how did you meet Jiraiya, and come to be his assistant?"

"He was passing through my village, and I wanted to leave and see the world. Make something of myself, instead of rotting in some backwater town farming rice for the rest of my life. After some _persuasion_, he granted me the privilage of tagging along, and eventually becoming his assistant. This way, he has time for leisure and research," saying the last word with a miniscule smirk. Flawless acting. Kakashi oblivious to it, continued but catching the lewd reference.

"And, how exactly did you persuade the famously stubborn sennin?

"I gave him, a tour around the nearby villages. Showing ideal spots for writing, relaxing. Areas with... nice _views_. It wasn't too difficult."

"Ah. You must share the tale of your efforts with me later, Uchiro-san."

"Yes, another time. It was nice meeting you, Kakashi-sama." He gave another low bow, and Kakashi merely nodded, still puzzled about the, boy's formality. Clearly he hadn't caught his master 's bluntness. At least, so far. He gave nod to the red-clothed pervert, and his assistant, and they made their way past him, onward to their destination. Suddenly Kakashi remembered. 'Wasn't Naruto with him when he last left?'

"Jiraiya-sama, wait!"

"Yes?"

"What happened to Naruto?" They both looked at him, the boy's bright emerald eyes looking questioningly at Jiraiya, and then at him.


	5. Unwanted Guests

Suddenly Kakashi remembered. 'Wasn't that boy, Naruto with him when he last left?' 

"Jiraiya-sama, wait!"

"Yes?"

"What happened to Naruto?" They both looked at him, the boy's bright emerald eyes looking questioningly at Jiraiya, and then at him.

* * *

For a moment, Kakashi almost forgot where he was or what he was doing. His mind went blank, and then it came back to him. The ninja was puzzled. Something like that had never happened before. 

"Naruto? ...He..he died in an attack by some Sound ninja. He wanted to get Sasuke back so badly. He thought he was ready and snuck off. I was too late.." Hatake merely looked at him for a moment, blank. His face then contorted to slight shock, then regret. And finally it returned to his normal expressionless stare. All within the span of a second.

"I..I'm sorry to hear that." He had never really liked the kid all that much. But he was still sad to hear the news of his death. Naruto grown on him.

* * *

Ikkaku had acted quickly, not having a moment to lose. He had stared intently at Kakashi, and fully activated his doujutsu, his eyes turning a deeper green and used a powerful jutsu. 'Gensougan: Jishaku ninpou, Shin-denji Genmu,' he thought thinking fondly. It was a handy technique. He was able to alter a person's mind by tampering with the electric impulses in the brain. Using his doujutsu, he could Kakashi temporarly more trusting, accepting and gullible, so he would accept the death of the Konoha genin without question. It was imperative that he not slip up now, because he couldn't erase memories, at least not yet. But he'd figure it out at some point. As they walked through the city to their aparments to settle down, Jiraiya grinned at his former student, now partner. 

'I trained him well indeed. Maybe too well..his power is frightening. I should be more careful around him.'

_'You shouldn't think so loud, ero-sennin. It really is distracting.'_ The older man flinched at the voice in his head, just as he was passing a fruit stand. He knocked it down, spilling fruit everywhere. The angry woman began screeching at him, batting him with her broom, and he just smiled sheepishly, avoiding the blows and apologizing. Then, she just stood there, and the broom fell out of her hands. She ignored that he was there, and went to fix the stand and gather her fruit.

'You know, Naruto, you be more careful. You're pretending your a civilian, and someone could sense your chakra. And please do stay out of my thoughts.'

_'Sorry, but you we're thinking really strongly back there. I couldn't help but overhear. I was nervous about coming here after five years, but things haven't really changed. Now, it's just interesting, in a strange way. Like looking at ants under a microscope. I never realized how weak and vulnerable they we're.'_ The pervert merely nodded, peeking through a hole he found in the wall of a bathhouse as they passed. Naruto groaned and pulled his former master with him. He was such a pain. _'You'll have time for this later.'_ The man let out a slight groan. He always missed the best part.

'You know..times like these make me wish I had your kekkai genkai. It would make peeping so much easier,' he thought with a sigh.

_'Then you'd **really** be a menace to society,'_ he projected, laughing.

* * *

They arrived at his old apartment. Jiraiya decided he'd go have a couple of drinks at a stand, while Naruto got them settled. He unlocked the door, and opened it, creaking slightly on its old unoiled hinges. He stepped foward. The whole place smelled slightly of mildew, and was covered in a fine layer of dust. The boy continued. The house was mostly empty, the old furniture that remained was covered by blankets but the refrigerator was still on. When he opened it, he wasn't suprised to find that it was full. There were incongruencies in the layering of the dust. Certain areas lacked a layer as thick as others, and there was the scent of humans in the room, masked well by the old smell. 

He let out a deep breath and took a couple sniffs. It was a male..no two. And a female, who was in heat. All teens by the pheremones. Letting out a sigh, he did several hand signs. 'Nezumi, Tora, Nezumi, Uma, Saru, Usagi, Saru, Ryu, Uma, O-hitsuji'

The small genjutsu, activated, signaled by quiet ringing in one's ears. Something anyone could easily dismiss. Then, using his mind's eye, he spread his senses over the entire property, waiting.

_'Oh, ero-baka, take you time.'_

'No need to tell me twice, hehe,' he thought. You could tell he was drunk. His thoughts blurred together, his mind loosened, and he never minded insults. Sometimes he wondered how such a fool had become so powerful, and become famous as one of the Sennin under the tutilage of the Yondaime. Then, he remembered he was once similar to the man. Abandoning the thoughts, he cleared his mind, compressed his chakra jumped backwards onto the ceiling, sticking with his feet. The ninja meditated, awaiting the intruders.

* * *

**Alright. It's a short chapter. ****I know. Sorry -.-" **

**They do seem to be shrinking, ne?**

**More to come in twenty-four hours. Btw: Any, and I mean _ANY_ reviews would be greatly appreciated. I don't care if you flame me, I just want some critique. How else can I improve?**


	6. Haunted

**Sorry for the really long pause. You have my deepest condolances. uu 3**

* * *

"Leave me the hell alone!" He shouted, walking foward away from the forest into the city, where the streetlights began to flicker on.

"Why won't you just talk to me, Naruto?" A breeze began to pick up.

"What's there to talk about?!" He looked back shouting.

"Why..why won't you answer my question?" And looked at the city, replaced with hills, and grass all around them, mountains in the distance, and all was bathed in warm orange light. There was silence. Naruto mulled it over, and flashbacks of the nights after Sasuke left replaying in his head. His chest began to ache, as if was That Day all over again. Tears began to spill.

"Look..I'm dying, ok? Is that what you wanted to hear?" Sasuke stared at him, bewildered, and confused.

"You can't..you can't be..dying.."

"I am." They stood there in silence. Sasuke was looking away, at the sun, dying like he was..He looked back, with a tear-covered face, the rays of the setting sun covering them in a melancholy light.

"Why did you leave? Why? I begged you. You left. You destroyed me." And it was the truth. You could see it in Naruto's eyes. When he smiled, it wasn't even like those convinving grins he gave a child. It was like the sparkle had left his eyes. Like if the flame had gone out. Sasuke gave a sob, sucking in breath, and tried to speak.

"I-I love you, Naruto." And with that he turned to Naruto, and kissed him, gently wrapping one arm around his waist and the other cradling his head. And for a moment the pain slipped away, all things forgotten. All he felt we're the boy's lips on his own, the warm tears streaming down their faces, the mutual ache in their hearts. They drew back, and Naruto tried to take a breath. But couldn't. He gave a few stutters and stepped backwards.

Suddenly, they we're at the Valley of the End, standing on the river.

"..Naruto? Naruto! NARUTO!" He rushed towards him, as he fell backwards, getting a glimpse of the star covered sky as he slipped into the water and down into the murky depths. He could hear Sasuke screaming, and banging at the water, trying to pierce it and get down to him. To save him. But it was too late. It had been for longer than he could remember. Faces flashed through his mind, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi, Jiraiya, Sakura, Ino, Chouji, Akamaru, Shino, the Third and it went on with nearly everyone he'd ever met, the Fire Daimyo, Orochimaru, Kabuto; it went on. And then..

Sasuke.

He lingered on that face, the one small grin he had given him so many years ago..

And slowly the darkness bled into everything, tainting his most precious memory, the despair and pain flooding it, and the image began to fade blur, smothered by the dark. He could see Sasuke's silhoutte above him laying in the water, pressing his body against the surface, trying desperately to get closer, hand out stretched, no longer clenched. And then, he slipped farther below, and then...

Nothing.  
The dream again. It kept coming back, even if he wasn't totally asleep. He had been focusing on extracting chakra as possible, and then compressing into a small volume, without using seals; it was part of his usual meditation. He had gone half-unconcious, but any noise would awake him, and then the dream had started to manisfest itself. Naruto would've usually ended the dream, but with Jiraiya not around, he had an opportunity...he i needed /i to see Sasuke once more. The boy existed only in his dreams now, all his memories had blurred and faded like photographs and all things do. Now, their "meetings" were bittersweet, haunted by nightmares, in which only Sasuke occupied. It made his heart ache when he thought about it. How much longer would the dark dreams last? How long would they stay vivid, before they too faded? A tear rolled down his cheek.

* * *

It was around sunset, when they came. A rowdy bunch of teenagers, two males and one female as he expected. The first male came shirtless with his hands full of sake bottles, bursting in laughing and he headed off towards the bedroom where he had seen a old kotatsu he had never seen before. Then, the second was the female giggling and covering herself with a jacket; she had very revealing clothes on; and the third was another boy, with black hair and his own old clothes, the orange jacket. The ringing filling his ears, he went down, and walked into his old room. 

"Can I help you three with something?" They all stopped what they were doing, which was drinking, and looked at him, several bottles clinking as they fell to the floor, a couple spilling sake all over.

"Who the hell are you?" The leader, Konohamaru stood up, looking angry and perplexed. And angry. "I'm giving you till the count of three to get the fuck outta my pad."

"And I'll give you to the count of three to calm down." He said, half-amused. Konohamaru had grown to be rather violent it seemed. The boy and the girl, previously looking confused, now looked thoroughly insulted.

"Beat the shit outta him boss!"

"Yeah, make him learn respect!" said Moegi. The "boss" stepped foward, cracking his knuckles for effect. Then, he ran foward, fist extended to strike him, but Naruto was gone.

'Santari no Kanashibari no jutsu', he thought quickly doing hand signs and freezing all three of them with his Fullbody Paralysis jutsu on the ceiling. Naruto had taken the jutsu to a new level, where he could freeze an infinite amount of people as long as he could sense their chakra.

They all stopped, frozen in midrun, and fell down to the ground unbalanced, their eyes moving around looking for the location of their assailant.

"This apartment was never yours, I know that myself. And I happen to be the new tennant now. So I'd appreciate you all to gather your things and leave by the time I return around midnight. If you need me, I'll be at the Hokage's for the next couple hours, and then around town. It won't be hard to find me; if you do want to, I'll likely find you first."

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**Next chapter is actually coming up faster. :D**

Dattebayo.


	7. A Preview of the Future: Ode

**Sorry I haven't updated like I said I would. But unfortunately I have a life, and I'm moving so that makes it harder. I will try to type more, quicker, and more often. But I won't make any promises. Instead I will leave you with a taste of what is to come...**

* * *

He could feel it beneath his skin. The curse that had come with his power. He struggled to contain it. _Him_, he should say. For a moment the pain overwhelmed him, it lashed out, and he though in that small instant that he might have lost control. His skin, was suddenly glowing with runes, different parts and sections flashed and some even glowed in multiple colors. Jiraiya came upon him, and instantly ripped off his shirt, and jabbed his palm firmly against the seal. He opened his mouth, involuntarily, and instead of gasping released a growl, and then a string of words.

"Stimuli affirmed, operation yielded. Index protocol: Awating further input." At this, the sennin did some hand seals and took a deep breath, exhaling on his fingers. They appeared to glow slightly, and we're covered in what looked like chrome. He then traced his index down his chest. Instantly the runes stopped moving across his body like if he was a screen, and then began flowing around his midsection, as if his navel was the eye of the storm. Then, he made making circles and small symbols over his abs with the cold smooth finger.

"Theme's domain constituting of diminuting restraint. Alteration of basal guard necessitated prenominaly and unmediated by implementative administrator: Unsourcable error. " He ran a couple fingers down his side, and pressed his thumb in to his ribs.

"Just great. Damn fox is having a party. I told you not to fuck around so much."

"Syphon failing, rupture of Quadrant seal, energy-staple flow leak unstable; rising by +124.63 per tricintual incriment. Primar function retrograding in cells, leading to flawed reparation. Status of said cycle: Fatal." Jiraiya merely stared at him for a couple seconds, unbelieving.

"Yondaime, help me on this one," he prayed.


End file.
